Line holder for brick laying



Jan. 24, 1967 D. G. LESSARD 3,299,515

LINE HOLDER FOR BRICK LAYING Filed April 11, 1966 INVENTOR.

United States Patent M 3,299,515 LINE HOLDER FOR BRICK LAYING Darrald G. Lessard, 975 W. Phillips, Pomona, Calif. 91766 Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,755 4 Claims. (Cl. 33-86) This invention relates to line holders for brick laying and included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a device which may be readily placed on the side of a brick in such a manner as to be self supporting and which is arranged to support a reference line flush with the wall surface and at a selected height above the wall to aid in positioning a course of brick.

Second, to provide a line holder which includes a fixed member having a cross 1pin adapted to rest on a brick when the member is placed alongside the brick, and two other members joined to the first member and capable of limited movement; the addition-a1 members each having a cross pin, one of which rests on the brick near an end there of, and the other bears against said end; and wherein means are provided to anchor an end of a reference line and to cause the pins to grip and secure the line holder to the brick.

Third, to provide a line holder wherein the supporting pins do not interfere with the placement of a brick on the brick which supports the line holder so that an entire course may be completed before moving the line holder, and wherein the line holder is so arranged as to shed excessive mortar which may fall on the line holder.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the line holder shown in position on a brick;

FIGURE 2 is a side view thereof;

FIGURES 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken through 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6--6, and 77 of FIG- URE 2.

The line holder is intended to be used with bricks of various dimensions. The line holder includes a hanger 1 in the form of a bar which includes a horizontal portion 2 and an inclined portion 3. The extremity of the inclined portion 3 is provided with a cross pin 4 extending laterally from both sides of the inclined portion so that either extended end of the cross pin 4 may rest upon a brick B.

Secured to the horizontal portion 2 is an extension 5 capable of limited flexure, the extension being formed of a fiat strip of metal. Secured in the extremity of the extension 5 is a cross pin 6 either projecting end of which may rest against an end of a brick.

Pivotally connected by a pin 7 to the extremity of the horizontal portion 2 to which the extension 5 is secured is a line tensioning bar 8 which extends upwardly and slopes toward the end of the brick engaged by the pin 6 the hanger or horizontal bar 1 and the upright bar 8 form an essentially L-shaped structure. The line tensioning bar is provided with a cross pin 9 either extended end of which may rest on a brick to support the portion 2 of the hanger 1 in a horizontal position. The upwardly extending portion of the bar 8 is provided with a series of notches 10 which serve to locate at selected levels above the brick a reference or gauging line 11 which is tied to the bar. The notches correspond to the heights of various bricks.

A coil spring 12 is disposed between the extension 5 and the bar 8. A bolt 13 is secured in the bar 8 and extends through the coil spring 12 as well as the extension 5 terminating in a head 14 which serves as a stop.

Operation of the line holder is as follows:

3,299,515 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 A pair of line holders are used. One is placed at each end of a course of bricks. This is made possible by the fact that the cross pins 4, 6 and 9 project equally on opposite sides of the holder so that the identical holders may be placed at the left or the right hand end of the course of bricks. A reference or gauging line 11 is then extended between the bars 8, the line being first fastened to one of the 'bars and then tensioned by being wrapped about the other tensioning bar. The tension exerted by the line 11 on each of the holders causes the cross pins to grip the bricks in such a manner as to secure the holders in place. While the holders are more tightly secured when the line is under tension, the holders nevertheless rest in place before being joined by the line 11.

The entire succeeding course of bricks, including the end bricks, may be laid while the line holder is in place. In fact, one or both end bricks may be positioned, the mortar being applied around the pins 4 and 9, as the diameter of the pins is not greater than the depth of the mortar.

The hanger 1 and the bar 8 are preferably triangular in cross section. The apex directed upwardly in the case of the hanger and inwardly in the case of the tensioning bar. This serves to deflect all but a small portion of the mortar away from the holder.

It will also be noted, as shown in FIGURE 2, that the extremity of the inclined portion 3 does not extend above the surface of the brick B and that the pin 4 is integral so as to avoid any shoulder around the pin which might cause mortar to force the holder away from the brick. For a similar reason, the bar 8 is reduced in width above the pin 9 as indicated by 15 in FIGURES 1, 2 and 6.

An upwardly facing shoulder is provided on the back side of the bar 8 above the bolt 13 to receive a level 16.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A line holder for brick laying, comprising:

(a) an essentially L-shaped structure including a horizontal bar, having an upturned end and an upright bar at its other end;

(b) a pair of mounting pins extending laterally from the extremity of said upturned end and intermediate the ends of said upright bar, arranged to rest on a brick and support said horizontal bar and lower portion of said upright bar alongside said brick;

(c) a third laterally extending pin carried by said structure and positioned to engage an end of said brick;

(d) and means for securing a line to the upper portion of said upright bar.

2. A line holder according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said structure includes a connection between said horizontal bar and said upright bar to permit limited relative displacement of the mounting pins resting on said brick; and a yieldable connection between said structure and said third 'with the mounting pin engaging the end of the brick to cause said pins to grip the brick when tension is applied to a line connected to said upright bar.

3. A line holder for brick laying, comprising:

(a) a hanger adapted to be placed alongside a brick forming a unit of a course of bricks;

(b) a pair of pins ext-ending laterally therefrom and adapted to overlie the top and an end of the brick;

(c) an arm extending upwardly from said hanger near (b) yieldable means urges said arm in a direction to 10 3 4 said end engaging pin, said arm adapted to secure (0) and means to limit the relative movement between an end of a gauging line; said hanger and arm provided by said pivotal con- (d) and a third pin extending from said arm and nection.

:adapted to overlie the top of said brick whereby said hanger and arm are supported by said pins along- 5 References Cited y the Examine! slde sald brlck- FOREIGN PATENTS 4. A line holder according to claim 3, wherein: (a) said arm is joined by a pivotal connection to said hanger;

788,537 1/1958 Great Britain.

LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner. cause said pins to grip said brick; HARRY N. HAROIAN, Examiner. 

3. A LINE HOLDER FOR BRICK LAYING, COMPRISING: (A) A HANGER ADAPTED TO BE PLACED ALONGSIDE A BRICK FORMING A UNIT OF A COURSE OF BRICKS; (B) A PAIR OF PINS EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE TOP AND AN END OF THE BRICK; (C) AN ARM EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID HANGER NEAR SAID END ENGAGING PIN, SAID ARM ADAPTED TO SECURE AN END OF A GAUGING LINE; (D) AND A THIRD PIN EXTENDING FROM SAID ARM AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE TOP OF SAID BRICK WHEREBY SAID HANGER AND ARM ARE SUPPORTED BY SAID PINS ALONGSIDE SAID BRICK. 